Supreme rings



March 4, 1958 H M, ANHOLT 2,825,486

SUPREME RINGS v Filed April 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. Harry M. Alma/f Wfd $9M TTORNEY March 4,1953 H. M. ANHO'LT' ,825,43 v

SUPREME RINGS Filed A ril 28,1954

2 sne'ets-shet 2 INVENTOR. Harry M. Alma/f ATTORNEY United States Patent SUPREME RINGS Harry M. Anholt, Denver, Colo.

Application Aprii 28, 1954, Serial No. 426,067

Claims. (Cl. 220-97 This invention relates to food container supports, and more particularly the invention relates to supreme rings which are adapted to support individual food dishes or glasses in or on a service container.

In the restaurant and hotel trades where the service of food is a fine art, many devices are utilized to make the food more attractive. In a wellappointed dining room of excellent cuisine, many food specialties are served in a service dish or nappy, especially foods requiring chilling or which must be kept cool. The service dish may be a low profile bowl-type receptacle or a stemmed goblet-like server. The service dish is considerably larger than any of the food dishes which are held therein,.so a supreme ring must be used to support the food dish within the server. ice may frequently be used to cool .the foodto thereby present a more attractive array. The supreme ring not only holds seated food containers in the server but supports containers, such as glasses and the like, in an upright position in the ice bathwithin the server.

The supreme rings which are available are merely flat disks with a central opening and a turned peripheraledge. The central opening supports the food container and the turned edge or lip holds the ring on the lip of the serving dish. While such rings may be satisfactory for certain types of food dishes, they are inadequate for general uses. For example, the rings are adapted to fit only one size of serving dish. Also, small containers, for example small fruit juice glasses, may be inadequately supported.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a supreme ring which presents supported food containers to the user in the most convenient position within the server.

C Patented Mari 1958 It is still another objectv of the invention to provide a supreme ring which is reversible to accommodate various supported food dishes.

These and other objects of the invention may be ascer- Fig. 2 is a side elevation, in partial section, of a supreme ring according to the present invention seated in position on the edge of a serving dish or nappy;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, in partial section, of the supreme ring of Fig. 2 in reversed position on the serving dish; 7

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, in partial section, showing the supreme ring in use supporting a small juice glass;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, in partial section, of the supreme ring in use supporting a large juice glass;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the supreme ring on a shallow serving dish showing the use of the ring with a food container supported in low position within the serving dish;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, in section, of the supreme ring in the reverse position of Fig. 6, showing the support 8 of the food dish in highest position or extending above the lip of the serving dish; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view, partly in section and partly broken away, showing an embodiment of a supreme ring supportinga food container on the upper edge of a serving bowl with the tread portion of the inner step of the ring resting on the rim of the bowl.

The device illustrated comprises a ring having two annular graduated step formations extending successively in the same axial direction; This ring includes an inner or may be partially or wholly covered by .thering so as.

sizes of servers, but is, also, adapted to present various:

to thepresent invention, there Jis provided step formation having a perforated horizontal or iaterally extending annular tread portion 16 with an inturned axialwithin the mouth of a bowl of suitable size of a service food containers to the user in the most convenient posiand the supporting serving dishes would he constructed;

While each type ofgfood dish ,used,

of sterling silver-to match theluxury'of the; s urrou ndings.

It is, further, contemplated "to provide' iiisupreme made of inexpensive plastic invarious colors, etc tq" tend the use of this'particular type of service to establish-1' ments ,of lesser means, but which nevertheless, desirela more elegantand presentable service. Thesupreme ring of the present invention, therefore, provides means for all classes of establishments to dressup-their service of food;

It is'an object of the'presen'tinvention-:to provide a supreme ring which is adapted for udnlvai-ious sizes; serving dishesor nappys.

receptacle, thereby providing a stop for the ring when seated on the serving piece. The outer step formation includes a horizontal or tread portion 18 extending laterally from the wall 16, and this tread portion is adapted to rest on the rim of a bowl while the verticalportic-n 16 of the inner step formation fits within the mouth of a bowl'of suitable size. This outer step formation also includes a second axial wall or outer vertical part 29 extending from the periphery of the tread portion '18. The radial annular tread portioniti of the inner step formation'may provide a seat on either side of the supreme ring on small serving dishes, as shown in Fig. 8, withthe vertical portion 16 oftheinner step formation sur'r'ound-, ing the rim of a bowl'23' of suitable size, or with the axially extendinginner lip 12 fitted within the'rnouthof the bowl 23 also of suitable size to engage this lip asshown in dottedflines in this figure, V-The radial tread" lip of a standard size serving-dishis preferred When the -ring-is-;seated on the servingsdish ;:by r n eans girth? disk 18, in one position, shown in Figure 2, the axial :lw'all 16 provides an internal "on the dish, and the axial wall 20 provides an external V, edge of the serving dish. As withtthe cantaloupeathe grapefruit should have a flattened bottom so that it seats serving dishes. The flat bottom'serving .dish and the sizes of serving bowls.

V serving dish so thatthe'lip 20 is upward awayfrom the dish; In this position, the disk 10 isheld in its lowermost r positionwithin the dish'22,and the supreme ring is useful thejedge of the tumbler iavailable; For sanitary reasons 'it is desira blenot to have the person preparingthe food touch ithe containerj areas whichtouch the'lips .01 the 1 in the serving dish withinthesupreme ring so that the thearea aroundthe lip of the tumbler. *Also; the 'c'on 'it would in the dotted position; as shoWninFigureA;

was shown in Figure A large tumbler 32 seated in 1a serving bowl 22 extends a'considerabledistanceabovei the lip of the serving bowl and is'therefore easily grasped T by both the preparer and the consumer of the dish without ,2 tailTfbowlsorf dessert :diShesfQ fthei shpreirie ring provides op for holding'fthe'ring" stop for the ring in inverted position, shown'in Figure 3.

.The goblet-like serving dish comprises a bowl 22 having a fiatfbottom' 21' and a lip 24:1 The bowlis secured to a stem.26:whichis secured 'to a base 28. The fiat'bottom;

serving dishes are" especially valuable for. use with the w supreme" ring, or .for generalirestau'rant' serving; For; example, the stemmed serving dish rnay beefiectivelyused for serving cantaloupe. The flat 'bottom fits the fiat cut cantaloupe rind and securely holds the fruit in the server.

7 "Also, 'the *serving' dish may be used; for grapefruifi'by in-J setting a' plastic" disk, for example, to provide a seating surface high enough te-hold 'agrapefruit half above the securely within. the serving. dish. When used with the supreme ring, drinking glasses, which are'served in an "ice bath, seat squarely on the bottom of the serving dish and; do not have the tendency to tip as with round b ottom supr'emering provide a secure serving arrangement for glasses, and the like; .The stepped shape of the supreme ring, andits reversible characteristics provide means for changing the height'of anY dish held on the ring in the serving dish. 'tThe. stepped. construction, also," pro vides means for securely seating thesupreme ringoh various 1 As shown in Figure 4, the supreme ringis placed on the for supporting a small juice tumbler '30, ,for'e'xample, in

person grasping the glass hasonly a small portion near consumer; By'having a ring which is reversible, asmall juice glass may 'be supportednearitsmiddle and 'placed person preparing. the dish need not-come 'in'contact with surner hasQa large area to grasp the 'glass and have it preme ring encircles the glass considerably Ilowenthant:

For large'juice tumblers, the supreme ringfis inverted, 1

' inner edge of ,,the 'ihfier" step formation with ;a jvertical *flange',;or, axially1extendingfllip projecting in thesame diameter-khan said'bowli 4*?- 'efficieritseryicef In Figure f6, thesupre'me nag is shown in its lowermost position in 'a bowl 23fsupporting a cocktail'dish 34. -Where the contents ofthe cocktail dish do; a not require holding the dish as where they are softor' liquid and liable for spilling,the down position'of the,

supreme ring not only securely'holds the bowl but prof i vides a drainage through the perforations for'anyspilledf V food back into the bowl 23. fSolid bits of food .which spill are retained in the space'around the cocktail dish; ,With rather solid contents of'the bowl :34, the reversal of the supreme ring holds the bowl34up above a serving bowl 1 33 so that it is,readily grasped by the fingers'of, the con- 1 sumer; Normally in this condition, the contents of the how] are such that they do not drip over the side anddo not cause a 'sanitation problem by supreme ring onto the table.

'WhileQthe invention'has been describedlj-by specific examples and illustrations, there is lno intent to limitfthe' V,

invention-etc the precise. detailsi so illustrated} except insofar as setforth in theappende d claims. I V 1 Iclaimr 1.1A ring h outerpart adapted to surroundaajrim of-abowl withithe horizontal or tread portion'of said outermost step form'a'a T i tion resting upon'the' rim offthe bowl, and said ring:

provided at the'inner sideof the inner step'fformation j 11 with a vertical lilangef or axially"extending lim'said lip being adapted to receive the wallet a receptacle of lesser} diameter than said bowl;

' 2.'A device as claimed in clait'n l the hori V ,zonta'l orftreadportion hf the outermost'step formation 1 may rest o'nthe of ,a bowl 'while the' vertical portion I of. the inneiis'tepfforniation,fits Within the mouth ofa bowl of suitablefsize. Q3. A..device asclaimed rest: on J the rim or, a fbowl' while the vertical fiangeor- H in the mouth of-a bowl of' i axially extending lip fits Lwith suitablesi'ze, Q.

- 5.1 A. rin g'h adapted. to surround a rim or a bowl. withv the. horizontal ortr'ea'd.portiorifof;saidjouterinost.step formation resting upon theirim of .the .bov'vL'fand.- saidrin'g' provided atthe axiaLdirection. as said successive step f o'rmations,saidflip being adapted .toreceive the -wall of a receptacleof lesserf i References' the tile, of this patent ED'fSTATESPA'lTENTS: .7 r a coming in contact with the drinking edgeof the, glass. T r 1 a Q The tal'l'tumblers, however, are subjectto tippin'g, there; g:gg;"" f 7 j j fore, the suprern'eiring isinverted to place'the supporting: 5 1 ff' i" j g 1910 5 I lip 12 at'its'highest pointabove the: howlt'ogive'maximum j 73 51 fcdlemanh 25 Y 7 support to the tumbler. 7 Evenwith'th'e'ring in thisposi 1 '2 7 If .1 55 5; 1915 'tion,:tumbler 32 still presents a suflicient' area for g'raspingfifi- 8 w fi i v.

I mefi J TW Pb 1 117452555; Kirniser Fbi4i1930 drinking fedge both i'fOl convenienc "iiandffor}sanitary j 2;'g A g; j a p g r j 5 1,948,778 z ta, .'Feb.'271193 In s am s a w Pmfi rwfl sh e 1973141.15.shimmer. sepni msr a in Figuresjfi and 17, 'is used inservin'g desserts, etc., of"i's '7 9' i Q 'T'7 5 V used'inlarg'e gatherihgs'in place'of thesternmedgObIe 7.,'. "-w glike servers. .The'suprerile ringo'f the present inventionf l: ,j 1 i N SfY. e. fits born th wwprefilefbqwi and rhs stemnea goble e 2 23,7195; '.--;-oc' t,'f9,:192' 1 equally wellfIn'this' case' foneitherfth-service'otcock 1 236045 1 'Iu1 '-f2,;-19'2s V pnzcv dripping down the 7 I avihgtWofannulargraduated step formaQ tionsithe outermost step formation having its. verticalf if.

in. claim 1 in: which the hori- :s; izo'n'tal or itread portionof-the inner-step i form'atiorimayq .re'stj'on the rimiof albowl while'fthe vertical portion of the. I

onysurroundstherim of'ja-fbowl of claimed-iii ass; 1 lawman hi his:

avingitvvo'.anhular -graduatedstep forrnaa j tionsjextndinglsuccessively.in. the .same axiaLdirec'tiom 5 the outermostgstep formation'having. its vertical, outerpart 7 1 

